Goodbye Doesn't Always Mean Forever
by Dreamer962
Summary: So this is my first FanFic. Flames are welcome and this is T because I'm paranoid. This is set one year after the disaster and a young girl named Anika is a stuburn girl who won't believe the stories that the Phantom is dead. I suck at summarys sorry.
1. Chapter 1: Back Before Love

_**Welcome to the deepest corners of my mind!**__** This is my very first fanfic so flames are welcome. Please read and bare with me, I still don't know how this will end so please bare with me! Now without further adieu let my story begin. **_

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything of POTO.**

The young ballerina walked to the middle of the stage. She couldn't believe that one year ago this stage was a burning pit that the Phantom performed for the last time on with her friend, Christine. She remembered that night clearly, she was only seventeen years old, even though she looked much younger, and she was a simple dancer, but though she would never admit to anyone, she was hypnotized by the Phantom, and she was the only one who wasn't disgusted with his appearance and was the only girl other than Meg who tried to see the Phantom.

She brushed off the memories as she performed a little routine from Hannibal, until she was interrupted by the voices that pierced through the darkness." Anika, is that you?" said a tiny voice which Anika knew was Meg. Meg and Christine set down their candles and hugged each other with tears running through their eyes. Anika was curious, "Why are you here? Are you alright? Are you married?" Christine answered the questions until two sets of footsteps interrupted their reunion; it was Madame Giry and Raoul. Anika led them down the path familiar to them all which led to the ballet dormitories. They quickly tied their hair and changed into their nightgowns. Meg's blonde hair was in a simple blond bun and Christine's curly brown hair was in a high bun. Anika struggled with her dark auburn hair which wouldn't go into a braid so she settled with a messy bun that flopped everywhere.

Raoul walked in with Madame Giry both giving a sigh of relief, "Raoul, dear, may I stay here I wish to talk to Meg and Anika," Christine said shyly retreating back to the days before she was a leading soprano. "Of course, love, since you are safe, good-bye ladies," Raoul tipped his hat and left with Madame Giry. The girls spent the night reminiscing in their old memories when they would sneak out and taunt Carlotta behind her back. Anika could have sworn she heard Christine's name in a pleading whisper, but she wouldn't let _**him**_ ruin her reunion with her ballet family.


	2. Chapter 2: History Repeats

_**A/N Thank you for the reviews! Sorry the beginning was short it needed to be there to get things started. Sorry the next part is just like the movie, but I promise this will be longer and it won't be just like the movie**__**. Again, I don't own anything POTO**__**. Only my OCs **___

_**Anika's POV**_

As soon as the opera officially reopened almost the entire cast came back, they were sure that the Phantom was dead, but I was not so sure. I was overjoyed to see **almost **everyone, that one person I wished hadn't returned did, Carlotta. Of all people, but she was there since our same idiot managers, Monsieur Andre and Monsieur Firmin, couldn't find another soprano since Christine refused to perform on that stage ever again, they screamed on how Viscomte Robert. The new opera was called Beauty and the Beast, and of course Carlotta was Belle, I was a common maid while Meg, Aubeline, and Desiree were the, as I say, bimbos, but Monsieur Andre calls them promiscuous dancers. Once again Carlotta had a melt down on how Meg was getting the attention. Within minutes Monsieur Andre was on his knees begging her to come back, Madame Giry mumbled, "Not again" under her breath wishing no one heard her as she taught the dancers their parts. Monsieur Firmin was not ready for history to come back," No Carlotta. No Christine, what are we supposed to do?" Meg piped up,"Anika can sing, Christina was teaching her earlier." Then another perky blond dancer, Aubeline, was louder," She won't act like Belle, she is Belle! She is an exquisite soprano." Monsieur Reyer conducted me to sing "A Change in Me" for everyone once the piano began I couldn't help my emotions pour out,

"_There's been a change in me,  
>A kind of moving on.<br>Though what I used to be,  
>I still depend on.<br>For now I realize,  
>That good can come from bad,<br>That may not make me wise,  
>But oh it makes me glad.<br>_

Before I knew it opening night had come and I was a nervous wreck until the song began and I let myself go. 

_And I- I never thought I'd leave behind,  
>My childhood dreams,<br>But I don't mind.  
>For now I love the world I see,<br>No change of heart a change in me._

_For in my dark despair,  
>I slowly understood,<br>My perfect world out there,  
>Had disappeared for good.<br>But in it's place I feel,  
>A truer life begin,<br>And it's so good and real ,  
>It must come from within.<br>_

I looked at the audience in front of me, glancing at Box 5, where I saw a black cape twirl. I continued my song refusing to get distracted.

_And I- I never thought I'd leave behind,  
>My childhood dreams but I don't mind,<br>I'm where and who I want to be,  
>No change of heart,<br>A change in me._

_No change of heart,  
>A change in me."<em>

I did a graceful bow and continued the opera, and waited anxiously for it to end.

As soon as the opera finished, I ran to my dormitory where Desiree, a flirtatious ginger ballerina, told me the new patron, Viscomte Robert, wanted me to have dinner with him. I told her I couldn't due to prior engagements, and soon the whole opera house was asleep and I crept out to the stage. Soon I heard a booming voice, "Oh Anika, Brava, I do admit that I didn't believe you could sing! Did you see me?" It was my old friend Hamel, a stagehand, sliding down a curtain rope hoping to the ground below. "You better hurry to your room, before the Phantom gets you!" he laughed loudly. "Like Christine and how she…" I whispered softly before crying. Hamel came and sat down next to me wrapping his muscular arm around me. We heard footsteps approach, it was a tall, wealthy, man with chocolate brown eyes and straight blonde hair," Now Anika, stop lounging around with this lazy stagehand and come with me," he said with a cocky smile. "And you are?" I said angrily. "Oh, feisty, I like it, I'm the patron, Viscomte Robert. You look cold, how would you like to get warm and comfortable…in my chambers," he said with a seductive smile. Before I knew it, Hamel was up and approaching him," If you ever dare try and touch her, so help me God!" I quickly got up and touched his shoulder to soothe him," Hamel, please take me to my room." He walked to my room leaving the patron speechless and unknowing that two people wanted him dead.

_**A/N So what did you think? I am a huge Beauty and the Beast freak so I had to use it, and it fits with the story. If you want to see how I imagined my characters look on my page **___


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